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Tuesday, April 18, 2017

HANGING OUT WITH CHEF JIM SMITH FROM BRAVO'S "TOP CHEF"

A hardcore fan for
the past 14 seasons of the bingeworthy Top Chef series on the Bravo Network, my crush this year was adorable Chef Jim Smith
with the megawatt smile and those deep dimples. Every season I find a new boyfriend who just happens to be a culinary warrior.( I still love you too, Michael Voltaggio!) The focus on southern cuisine reminded me of all that good eating when I lived in Charleston, SC many years ago, and the mix of rookies vs competitors from previous seasons was brilliantly presented.

He may not have won the title, but the way Chef Jim maintained such a humble demeanor, despite his exemplary culinary skills, was a joy to watch. He just never lost his composure.

Before you get too excited ladies, this talented heartthrob is
a newlywed that has been happily married to his lovely wife for 2 years. Despite my obvious heartbreak, I pulled myself together to grab a front row seat
with my signature cheeseburger and lemonade to share all the delicious
details and tantalizing tidbits of Chef Jim Smith, and the awesome adventures of
Top Chef.

RO: While watching the show, we noticed that you reside in Alabama,
but were you actually born there?

CHEF JIM: No, I was born in Panama City, Florida and raised in Troy, Alabama.

RO: I visited Panama City a long time ago and loved it! What is your official title, what do you do, and how long
have you had your job?

CHEF JIM: I have been the Executive Chef of Alabama for more than 6
years. It is a great job that is a lot
of hard work and fun. There is no
kitchen staff other than myself, so I make all the food and do all the prep
work. This position has been very good for me
and it is an honor to be a representative for state food.

RO: I can imagine that you're super busy all the time. Working for a governor, does everyone expect you to talk about
politics? Do you think of reasons to run
in the other direction when political discussions come up?

CHEF JIM: Not really, but I am pretty much always willing to talk
about food politics. As the Chairman of
the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission there is a real political component of
the work that I do for the state. There
are times when I may need to be at the Capitol as a person working for the
seafood industry of Alabama, but not as a chef.

RO: What kind of food do you cook for the governor, and do you
work every day? Do you prepare the menu
on your own?

CHEF JIM: I usually work five days a week and prepare the menus
myself, so I tend to start with what looks best at the Farmer's Market and go
from there. I do however, take requests.

Johnson & Wales University Cafeteria in Charlotte NC

RO: If I'm ever in Alabama, I'll put in my order for a jalapeno double cheeseburger, please!

Would you say that you are a classically trained chef?

CHEF JIM: I was classically
trained and attended culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, NC
where I graduated at the top of my
class. I was so impressed with the
resumes of the other chefs on the show that I knew I was the underdog; I may
not have worked for Jean Georges, Mario Batali, Jose Andreas, or Alice Waters
but I still knew that I had a chance to compete and compete well.

Bravo Media - Tommy Garcia

Bravo Media/Tommy Garcia

RO: I absolutely agree! What in the world made you decide to try out for Top Chef,
and did the process take a long time?
What did you have to do?

CHEF JIM: I have been a fan of Top Chef since the early seasons. I love the show, the challenges, the chefs,
and judges, and knew that I wanted to be a part of that family. There
were thousands of other chefs who applied so there was definitely some time
involved in making it through to casting. This included submissions of many
recipes, photos, and videos , actual interviews and various other steps in the
overall process. I do not envy the hardworking
people who made the final decisions about the show, and feel so humbled just to
be a part of the family.

Bravo Media/Paul Cheney

RO: Whew! Sure sounds like a lot went on, huh? Let’s talk about the show a little. We were getting nervous
with your recipe plans for that whole chicken because time was running out quickly, but you won the
first quickfire with those fantastic fried
chicken innards. I could almost taste
the crunch through my television that night.
How did that make you feel?

CHEF JIM: Winning the first quickfire felt great and it showed the
other chefs that I was there to compete.
As a fan of Top Chef I knew that it is better to make one dish very well
than two or three that might have problems.
I think that all the rookies, including myself, were overly ambitious in
that challenge. I was so nervous during
that whole quickfire - really all the challenges. Hearing Padma say that I won was definitely
one of the highlights of my time on the show.

Bravo Media/Paul Cheney

RO: Once the quickfires were over, did you have the opportunity
to taste the other chefs’ food? Everyone
loved that Trotter Hash and Hog Head. Do
you think you could replicate that same dish if you had to?

CHEF JIM: Whenever there was the opportunity to sample another chef’s
food I always tried to taste as much as possible. The BBQ challenge was one of my favorites; we
had a great team, a great menu, and worked very well as a team. I could definitely recreate the Hog Head and
Trotter Hash.

RO: The name of the food sounded a little weird,(lol) but the actual dish sure looked dang tasty. Everyone loved your personality and rooted for you to win.
During the show, whom did you bond with the most?

CHEF JIM: That is such a hard question to answer. I bonded with almost
everybody on the show, and really felt like I left the show with fourteen new,
great friends.

Bravo Media/Paul Cheney

RO: It's always wonderful to meet new friends for sure! How did you feel when alumni members came out to complete
the group?

CHEF JIM: When I saw the veterans walk into the Top Chef kitchen I was
nervous and excited, and knew that they would all be a good source of
information. I believed I could learn by
watching them in the challenges. I was
also a little star struck too. People like Casey Thompson and Sam Talbot really
inspired me to go to culinary school and become a professional chef. At the same time, I knew that they would be
very hard to beat.

RO: I totally get the learning aspect, and probably explains why I keep watching repeats of the show over and over again. (lol) What time of day does everything start on Top Chef, and when
does the day actually end?

CHEF JIM: One of the difficult aspects of being on the show is that
you never knew what the day would bring; every day was a new surprise.

RO: Would you ever do a program like Top Chef again?

CHEF JIM: In a heartbeat.

RO: You made it through 7 challenges until losing because of
your Steak Tartare dish. Then you had to
face the Last Chance Kitchen against Jaime, where a little too much salt did
you in. How did you feel about him
giving up his immunity?

CHEF JIM: Jamie is a very talented chef but I think that given the
circumstances it was probably not the best decision. He took the dregs of the food choices because
he had immunity, and yes his dish was among the worst at the challenge, but he
took one for the team by taking the chicken and peanut butter. He had every reason to keep his
immunity.

Bravo Media/Tommy Garcia

RO: Once a contestant left the show, did he or she really go back
home?

CHEF JIM SMITH: When a chef was eliminated from the competition, he or she
was moved from the cast house to a nearby hotel and kept separated until Last
Chance Kitchen.

RO: It sucks about the elimination, but at least everyone was able to hang out a little while longer to sightsee and relax. During the finale, we were all thrilled to see you back
along with the other chefs in Mexico. What did you do while there? How long did you stay?

CHEF JIM: Mexico was a lot of fun.
I really wanted to be a sous chef for either Brooke or Shirley, so I was ready to cook. But since I was not chosen, I basically got
to hang out in Tulum with the other chefs and eat the final dinner. It was great!

http://www.shopbybravo.com

RO: We're dying to know if you were able to keep those Top Chef coats?

CHEF JIM: They take the chef coats at the end, but I may have
accidentally ended up with a coat in my luggage.

RO: LOL! I'm not mad at you at all! I'd love to snag one of those classic jackets, too! You’re such a nice guy. Is there a chef you have/haven’t met
yet that you'd love to work with in the future?

CHEF JIM: I did an event with Nancy Silverton a few weeks ago, and it
was so cool to meet a culinary hero of mine.
I would love to work with her again in the future.

Perfect proof that a famous culinary giant like Chef Jim is just like us. Check out
these cool responses!

RO: Do you prefer William Shatner or Chris Pine as Captain Kirk,
and why?

CHEF JIM: Shatner 100%. The
better question may be, “what is my order of all the captains?” My order is:

“1. Patrick Stewart (Picard) 2. William Shatner (Kirk) 3. Kate
Mulgrew (Janeway) 4. Avery Brooks (Sisko) 5. Chris Pine (Kirk) 6. Scott Bakula
(Archer)”. I really like all of the television
programs and movies, including the new ones.
I remember having a great conversation with the chefs about Padma’s
episode on Enterprise. It is certainly
one of the highlights of the Enterprise series.

RO: My two faves will always be William Shatner and Chris Pine because they are totally opposite in how they portray Captain Kirk. Are you a fan of the old Star Wars movies, or the modern ones
recently released in theaters?

CHEF JIM: I am a fan of them all, and the new ones are great. And I have to say, if you have not checked
out the various fan edits of episode 1-3, they are worth watching. Jar Jar is so much better with an alien voice
and edited subtitles.

RO: That sounds really neat! What's in your oven when you cook at home with your wife?

CHEF JIM: At home, we like to make Chinese dumplings,
slow cooked meats, and many vegetables.

RO: Cool! I wish I could say I'm a fan of veggies. As you can probably guess, I'm addicted to cheeseburgers. (lol) Are you a Comic Con fan, and do you have any action figures?

CHEF JIM: Con fan: yes. Action
figures: who doesn’t?

RO: Don't get me started on my action figures which include vintage Star Wars, Batman, Lord of the Rings and more. I love collecting cookbooks, particularly older ones. Is that something you enjoy as well?

CHEF JIM: I am a big consumer of cookbooks that include new ones, old
ones, and those written by friends. Actually, I’m always looking for
cookbooks.

RO: It must be pretty awesome to have friends who actually write cookbooks that are on your bookcases! Do you have any pets at home and what’s on your DVR these
days?

CHEF JIM: I have two dogs, a little dachshund, and a big shaggy yellow
terrier.

On the DVR: all the Star Wars movies, Survivor, The
Magicians, and The Expanse. By the way,
I can not wait for the new Star Trek.

RO: I like The Magicians as well, but I'm not a fan of Survivor. I mean, how many alliances can you form before being turned on and kicked off the island anyway? (lol) When traveling, which do you prefer - Plane or Train?

CHEF JIM: Trains, but I wish they were faster.

RO: Trains are slow, but looking at the scenery is kind of nice. Would we see you watching Columbo or Miami Vice on
television?

CHEF JIM: Columbo 100%

RO: I really liked Miami Vice because of the action, but Columbo is someone I could have been best friends with. I have the entire collection of the shows on DVD, AND whenever it comes on at 7am on the Hallmark Movies and Mystery Channel, I tape it on DVR. How nutty is that, right? (lol) What do you snack on when no one is looking?

CHEF JIM: Gummi Bears

RO: Now that's a super guilty pleasure that I like. Do you watch Jeopardy or any type of sports program?

CHEF JIM: I am a huge Alabama fan.
College football is king in the South and I love it.

RO: Nope, give me Jeopardy, Price is Right or Wheel of Fortune instead. Did you gain any weight during the show? Do you do any type of exercise?

CHEF JIM: I did not gain any weight during the show but I did gain a
little afterward, and I am trying my best to work it off now. I do some cardio and eat healthy.

RO: I need to be taking a page out of your book with the cardio. What are some of your
hobbies?

CHEF JIM: My biggest hobby is fishing.

RO: I fish with a pink pole, but I can't really say I'm any good at it. Finally, the question on everyone's mind: Where will we see Chef Jim Smith in 5 years?

CHEF JIM: I really hope to have a successful restaurant, or a few, and
be in the James Beard mix.

RO: That sounds pretty doable to me.

Now you know the scoop! If you want to find out more about Chef Jim Smith, including the subscription food service from www.thecrate.com, visit him on his website or Twitter. You can also check out some of the meals prepared during Top Chef, meet more of the chefs, or purchase Top Chef merchandise by visiting www.Bravo.com.

*Bye Chef Jim (waving goodbye), and we wish you the best in all your endeavors, and thank you for visiting!*

Hold up, I need to pick your brains about Charleston. I'm planning a trip and I need some great recs on where to go and what to do for two days. Fort Sumter is on the list but while browsing I saw that Charleston has a French Quarter? And what hole in the wall should I go to? In terms of food, what is Charleston famous for? HELP!!

As an Alabama resident I was watching Jim super closely waiting to either hate him or love him but he definitely did us proud! It was sad to see him go but his attitude is amazing. Love the interview Ro! It was really fun to get to know him a little better - except for his football preference. We're going to have to disagree there. War Eagle all the way!

I totally agree, Katherine! What a nice guy, and his cooking really showed off the skills of Alabama. LOL! You already know I'd rather be reading than watching any of that college football stuff. His demeanor is really fun, right? Glad you enjoyed the interview! Hugs...

Fun interview! And I'd like a jalapeno double as well. Or maybe some of that seafood... anyway it was nice to learn more about him. And he likes Shatner, so he gets my approval! And Columbo or Miami Vice- that is a tough call!!

Hey There Greg! You sound like a cheeseburger fan too! (lol) He really enjoys his sci-fi for sure, and could talk about it for hours. I had to go with the disheveled detective who was just so smart. Hugs...

Chef Flay is an awesome cook, and I used to watch him all the time, but I still occasionally watch his Brunch show for some unique ideas for breakfast. I am truly hooked on so many cooking shows, and my hobby is finding out some of the secrets we don't get to see. So happy you stopped by to say helo, and wishing you a super Saturday! Hugs...

Chef Smith is a pretty amazing man and chef, so I was doing the happy dance during this interview. Hope your weekend is fab! Did you go to the TriFabb Blogger's Meeting on Thursday at the Fairgrounds? Hugs...

I did go, but they didn't have as many people this time around. They did a scavenger hunt to get your goodies for the day. Interact spoke about Abuse, and how we could get a tour as bloggers. Free tickets for the other days, and plenty of FREE wine! (lol)

I felt the same way when I heard him introduce himself during the show, and it really surprised me. The sad thing is that particular governor just resigned last week over some type of drama. (nothing to do with Jim)

OMG I love Top Chef and I really loved Jim Smith. I was hoping it was him who made it through last chance kitchen. He was so sweet and kind and an talented chef and those dimples! Every time he smiled he made me smile :) OMG Michael Voltaggio is going to be my imaginary boyfriend forever. Thanks for sharing this post! So much fun to learn about him.

Yes, a fan who is addicted as I am to this show! I'm not kidding, I literally watch those shows over and over again. When I snagged this interview I was seriously doing the happy dance! I felt the same about Chef Jim, and just wanted to hug him all the time! Voltaggio and those tats...uh okay! (lol)

About Me

I'm RO, a Social Media Consultant and FT Blogger who is passionate about supporting victims/survivors of domestic violence, and homeless female veterans. A serious book nerd since puberty, three (3) novels travel with me wherever I go. In addition, I love finding and sharing news about freebies, recipes, secret deals, authors, chefs and sweepstakes. I believe that kindness is necessary in all things, and smiling burns a ton of calories. Hugs...